1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to tape dispensers of the type having cutting blades for severing heavy-duty tapes such as duct tape and shipping tape. In one of its aspect, the invention relates to a tape dispenser with a blade guard that is selectively movable to and from a blade covering position.
2. Description of Related Art
Tape dispensers with wide, sharp cutting blades are well known in the field of packaging and shipping. Shipping tape dispensers can be seen in common use in any package shipping facility or Post Office. These dispensers often have cutting blades on the order of two or three inches wide.
Co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/532,515 discloses a tape dispenser suitable for duct tape and other wide, hard-to-tear tapes. This dispenser uses a wide cutting element or blade mounted on a supporting cutting bar with a large vertical face below the blade.
Many users of heavy-duty tape dispensers of the types listed above simply leave them lying around between uses, with the blade exposed. The duct tape dispenser in the '515 application partially addresses this issue with a storage bracket that conveniently keeps the dispenser secured on a wall or under a shelf.